Method of producing silicate of soda and the like



W. H. STANTON.

METHOD OF PRODUCING SILICATE 0F SODA AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 26. 1917.

VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIll/llllll /I A TTORNEYS Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

WILLIAM H. STANTON, 0F RIDLEY PARK, ENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD F IPRODUCING SILICATE OF SODA AND THE LIKE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

rammed sept. 14, 1920.

Application led January 26, 1917. Serial No. 144,634.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I WILLIAM H. STAN- TON, a citizen of the JUnited States, and a CD resident of Ridley Park, county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Method of Producing Silicate of Soda and the like, of which the following is a specification, reference beinff had to the accompanying drawing.

lFly invention more especlally relates to furnaces adapted for melting glass, silicate of soda, silicate of potash or substantially similar materials, and for fusing together the ingredients from which these materials are ordinarily made, and a principal object of my invention is to provide a furnace of novel construction and arrangementwhich may be conveniently, economically and satisfactorily employed for the purposes aforesaid. A further object of my invention is to provide a novel process or method of operating a furnace in treating the aforesaid materials, or in fusing together their constituent ingredients to form the said or substantially similar materials, by means of which materially greater economy and more uniform and satisfactory heating and fusion of the materials is obtained.

My invention further includes all of the other various novel objects, operations and features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more specifically referred to and described. y

In the accompanying drawingv I have illustrated one form of my improved furnace, Figure 1 being a central, vertical longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section taken on line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3,4 ahorizontal transverse section taken on line 3--3 in Fig. land Fig. 4 a frag.

mentary diagrammatic view illustrating -a convenient arrangement of the` valves by means of which the operation of the furnace is controlled.

My invention comprises a furnace employing a pair of similar melting hearths separated by a suitable bridge wall and embodying means whereby either hearth, or the material thereon, may alternately be heated at maximum temperature "and the other hearth,

or the material thereon, simultaneously heatedat 'a relatively reduced't'emperature, so that while the charge of material on one of the hearths is being subjected to the action of lthe burning gases at substantially their maximum temperature of combustion,

a charge of material on the other hearth may be gradually raised from a cbld state to a temperature at which the gases burnmg at maximum temperature ma be economically vdirected upon it for its nal heating after the completion of the treatment of the first charge and ensuing reversal of the direction of the passage of the burnin .gases through the furnace. More speciiicall the form of furnace shown inthe drawing comprises a pair of hearths 1 and 2 separated by a transversely extending bridgel wall 3, the hearths being supported at a suitable distance beneath the roof 4, preferably upon transversely extending beams `5f-or in any other suitable manner. The furnace is provided with side walls 7, 7 and end walls8, 8

in the ordinary manner and the roof 0f the cent each hearth through which the charge may be' withdrawn after melting. e Beneath each hearth are located regenerator chambers extending longitudinally of the furnace, the chamber or chambers 15,16 directly beneath the hearths -being preferably designed'to alternately receive the freshl incoming gas as hereinafter described, and

the chamber or chambers 19, 20 at the lowest part of the furnace and most' distantly removed from the hearths being preferably ladapted for the alternatereception of the fresh incoming air. The Aseveral chambers may preferably consist of a plurality of longitudinally extending passages having arched roofs, as shown in the drawing, or may be of any other form suitable for accomplishing the results desired, the several chambers Y being provided with suitable checkers 22 preferably composed of suitably arranged brick-work in the ordinary manner.

of each of the air regenerator chambers 19, 20, suitable ues 25 and 26 lead respectively upwardtoward the roof 4, each-flue being 'preferably substantially of the maximum width, permissible between the side wallsA of From a point adjacent the outer-'extremity i the furnace, and from the outer extremity of each of the gas regenerator chambers 15, 16 corresponding flues 27 and 28 also extend upwardly toward lthe furnace roof, vertical walls 29 and 30 braced, if desired, by arches 31, serving to separate each adjacent set of flues, and the upper end of each wall being deflected inwardly and suitably supported on piers 32, as best shown in Flg. 1, so that the ascending columns of gas and air are prevented from uniting untll they lssue from their respective ports adjacent the outer extremities of the hearths. Suitable doors 33 may be provided in the walls of the furnace through which access may be had when desired to the gas regenerator chambers and their respective flues, and similar doors 33 arranged to give access to the air regenerator chambers and their respective lues. If desired, that portion of the furnace containing the regenerators may be surrounded wlth suitable insulation 34.

For the purpose of conducting the fresh gas to, and a portion of the burned gases from, the gas generator chambers 15, 16, transversely extending passages 35 and 36 are provided preferably adjacent the inner extremities of the chambers and communieating therewith, these passages being separated by a transversely extending wall 38, and for the purpose of conducting the fresh air to, and a portion of the burned gases from, the air regenerator chambers 19, 2O corresponding passages 39 and 40, separated v by a transversely extending wall 41, are arranged preferably beneath passages 35 and 36, the gas passages being separately connected by suitable flues 43, 44 with a suitable gas valve A by means of which the flow of the fresh and burned gases through these ues may be controlled, and the air passages being separately connected by suitable ues 47, 48 with a suitable air valve B, by means of which the flow of the fresh air and burnedigases through these flues may be controlled, a preferred arrangement of the several flues, passages and valves being diagrammatically shown in Fig. 4. It will be understood that the valves A and B are connected respectively with the sources of gas and air supply by conduits 50 and 51, and also communicate, by suitable passages 52 and 53, with a chimney or stack 55 or other means for creating a draft through the furnace and carrying off the burned gases therefrom.

While the valves A and B may be of any suitable construction, those diagrammatilcally shown in Fig. 4, each comprise a sta tionary outer casing and an internal movable member or turtleback C, by the movement of which communication can be established as desired between either of the flues leading to the respective valves from passages 35, 36 and 39, 40 and the conduit leading from that valve to the chimney, while the other flue leading from the passages to that valve is left open to receive the fresh incoming air or gas from the source of supply, the arrangement of the valves and passages for effecting these results being Well understood by those familiar with the art.

With the various parts constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, it will be evident that with the turtlebacks C in the positions shown in solid lines in Fig. 4, the fresh gas supplied to valve A will pass through lille 43 andA passage 35 to the..

regenerator chamber 15, and from thence upwardly through fiue 27 to a point above hearth 2. Simultaneously the fresh air entering valve B will pass through flue 4T and passage 39 to regenerator chamber 19, and flue 25 to unite with the entering gas ad'- jacent the outer extremity of hearth 2. From this point the ignited mixture of air and gas passes over the hearth being deflected downwardly toward it or the charge thereon by the conformation of the furnace roof, thence over bridge wall 3, and traversing hearth 1 or the charge thereon, downwardly through flues 26 and 28 through the regenerator chambers 16 and 20, and from these chambers, through passages 36 and 40, and flues 44 and 48, to the undersides of the turtlebacks, and through conduits 52 and 53, to the chimney 55. It will furthermore be evident that if the turtlebacks, or other equivalent means in valves A and B, be moved to the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the direction of the fiow of the gases through the furnace will be reversed so that the ignited mixture of air and gas will first be directed over hearth 1, and then, passing over the bridge wall and traversing hearth 2, willl be conducted from the furnace through regenerator chambers 15 and 19 and their connecting passages and flues to the chimney 55.

In the melting or fusing of materials in reverberatory furnaces .supplied with regenerators, it has been the practice to effect a reversal of the direction of the fiow of the gases at relatively short intervals of time so that for each charge melted in the furnace a relatively large number of reversals are effected. This method of operation is open to numerous disadvantages, among which may vbe mentioned the great waste occasioned by the ejection or blowing out from the flues and regeneratorchambers of the gases which have beendrawn into them preparatory to combustion and with which they are filled, as well as the loss arising from the blowing out of the furnace of the gases burning in the hearth at substantially their maximum temperature so that at each reversal of the furnace the heat units contained in the heated but unburned gases in one set of fiues and regenerator chambers as well as those contained in the freshly ignited gases in the hearth are almost entirely wasted.

I have found that with a suitable furnace preferably substantially of the form of that herein described, the treatment of certain materials and more especially glass, and silicates of soda or potash, and the melting or fusion of the ingredients from which these materials are ordiarily formed, may be carried out much more economically and satisfactorily by only effecting a reversal of the flow of the gases each time that a new charge of material is introducedI into the furnace, instead of effecting the reversal several times during the treatment of each charge. More specifically, when employing my preferred form of furnace with a' charge of material on each hearth, I first arrangpe the valves,for example as shown in solid lines in Fig. 4, so that the incoming intensely .heated gases will be directed on the charge on hearth 2 to effect the maximum heating thereof, after which at relay tively reduced temperature they pass over the bridge wall to the charge on hearth 1 and gradually and uniformly raise the temperature thereof before passing through the regenerators 16 and 20 and delivering to the checkers therein a still further portion of their contained heat which I have found in practice to be amply suflicient heat to raise the checkers to the desired temperature, so that the gases are induced to give up a very large part of their contained heat-before reaching the stack, thus materially enhancing the economy of operation. After the charge on hearth 2 has been melted and drawn, and a vfresh charge introduced to that hearth, the direction of the flow of the gases is immediately reversed, so that they will be directed on the charge on hearth 1 at their maximum temperature. As this charge has already been raised to a relatively high temperature, the combustion of the gases is not retarded or interrupted as is the case when the burning gases are directed against a cold charge, but the maximum heating effect is immediately attained,

and, in addition, the charge is heated more.

evenly anduniformly and with better results than when a cold charge is introduced to a very highly heated chamber in which the gases are burning at their maximum temperature pursuant to the ordinary practice. It will be understood that during the heating of the charge on hearth 1 the initially cold charge on hearth. 2 is in turn being heated through the action of the gases carried over from hearth 1, and that after the charge on the latter hearth has been completely heated and drawn from the furnace, a fresh charge is introduced and the flow of the gases again vimmediately reversed so that the operation of melting the already heated charge on one hearth while a cold charge is being preheatedon the other hearth may be carried on continuously.

It should be understood that the .method or process which I have described cannot be satisfactorily employed with. materials requiring a relatively long period of heating, but is adapted more especially to those classes of materials which can be completely .heated or brought to the desired state in a period of substantially two hours or less for I have found that good results cannot be obtained if the flow'of the gases be continued in one direction for a greater time than approximately the period mentioned, and that in consequence the saidv process ormethod is, therefore, inapplicable to the production of-iron and other'metals 85 or substances for which a relatively long period of heating is required, and I there. fore do not claim the method or process for use in connection therewith.

While I have herein illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my improved furnace with considerable particularity, and while I have found in practice that the same is capable of affording most satisfactory results, I do not intend or desire to limit myself specifically to the .form of furnace which I have shown and described, as changes may be made in the details of construction and larrangement of the various parts thereof, as may be desired, and the process or method of operation which I have described may be varied in minor particulars, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as 4defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent' of the United States: Y

1. The process or method of operating a furnace having separate hearths in the -treati ment of silicate of soda, which consists in heating a charge on one hearth by means of the gases 'of combustion at substantially their maximum temperaturev and simultaneously heating a newly introduced charge 115 on the other hearth by the same gases'fat a reduced temperature untill the treatment of the first-mentioned charge is completed, drawing said completed charge, substituting a fresh charge and reversing the direct-ion H of the'travel of the gases through the furnace and heating said second mentioned charge to completion.

2. The process or method of treating material which on fusion yields silicate of soda which consists in subjecting a preheated charge of the material to be melted to the action of-burning gases at their maximum temperature of combustion for a period sufficient to produce complete fusion of the Asuitable for producing silicate of soda which consists in subjecting a preheated charge of said ingredients to lthe action of burning gases in a suitable furnace at sub-V stantially their maximum temperature for a period suflicient to complete the melting of the charge, simultaneously subjecting another separate charge of said ingredients to Vthe action of the same gases at relatively reduced temperature to preheat the same and when the melting of the first charge is completed reversing the direction of the passage ofthe gases through the furnace to subject the second charge to the action of the gases at substantially -their maximum temperature to complete fusion.

4. The process of treating in a suitable furnace material for forming fused silicate of soda which consists in preheating a charge of the material, simultaneously finally heating another charge, and when the treatment of said last-mentioned charge is completed, reversing the direction of the How of the gases of combustion in said furnace to effect the final heating of said preheated charge Without further reversal of the direction of the fiow of the gases during the treatment of said last mentioned charge.

5. The process or method of operating a furnace having separate hearths and of treating material therein which on fusion yields silicate of soda which consists in heating a charge of material on one hearth consuccessively tinuously at substantially the maximum temperature for completing the fusion thereof, simultaneously heating a lnewly introduced charge of simil-ar material on the other hearth at a relatively reduced and gradually increasing temperature to the maximum temperature, withdrawing the first mentioned charge from the first mentioned hearth, recharging said first mentioned hearth with a new charge' of material similar to the first mentioned charge,y changing the heating temperature over said hearths -for heating the second mentioned charge on the second mentioned hearth continuously at substantially maximum temperature for completing the fusion thereof and simultaneously heating said new charge of materials on said first mentioned hearth at a relatively reduced and gradually increasing temperature tothe maximum temperature. o

-6. rlhe process or method of treating material which on fusion yields silicate of soda which consists in passing a heating medium over adjacentlyl disposed charges of said material for heating the first charge at substantially maximum temperature and the succeeding charge at relatively reduced temperature, withdrawing said first charge while continuing to heat said succeeding charge, substituting a new charge of materials therefor while continuing to heat said succeeding charge, changing the direction of said heating medium over said charges for heating said succeeding charge at substantially maximum temperature and simultaneously heating said substituted charge at relatively reduced temperature. l

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23 day of January, lvD.

WILLIAM H.A STANTON. 

